Still, while emerging power is putting more money into North Korea, China has shown far more faith in the robust economy of South Korea, Pyongyang's rival. China's South Korea trade is expected to hit $250 billion this year, according to the Associated Press.

Japan. China. India. The Koreas. Thailand. Vietnam. Indonesia. Taiwan. Cambodia. Laos. The Philippines. Singapore. Malaysia. Burma. These countries and more make up Asia – the world’s most populous region. The Rice Bowl makes sense of the dynamic politics, economics and culture of 4 billion people, stretched across a diverse landmass that reaches from Siberia to Sri Lanka.